Rip City Project
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Northwest Division: Top Five Players

By Perry Waggoner

Apr 29, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) hugs guard CJ McCollum (3) after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 106-103 in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) hugs guard CJ McCollum (3) after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 106-103 in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard D.J. Augustin (12) defends against Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) in the third quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard D.J. Augustin (12) defends against Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) in the third quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

#4: Gordon Hayward (Jazz)

Career Stats: 14.7 PPG / 3.4 APG / 5.0 RPG

He has never been an all-star, which makes Gordon Hayward is one of the most grossly underrated players in the NBA. Now, maybe I’m biased due to my connection to Butler University, but I don’t think that’s the case. Outside of the superstars of the league (LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook), you’d be hard pressed to find a better overall player than Hayward. He’s a 20 points per game scorer who’s also active on the boards and defends at a very high level. As long as he’s in Utah though, his value and perception around the country will be minimized.

Even with all the praise, Hayward finds himself at just number four in the rankings. It’s been six years since he took over as the face of the Jazz franchise, but the team has failed to make the postseason in each of those six years. Once Hayward is able to carry Utah into the playoffs, we will be able to see who he is and what he’s made of on the biggest stage.

Next: Number Three: Karl-Anthony Towns